


Same Difference

by rotKaiserin



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Gen, Performing Arts Banner, Reads like a novelized support
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-21 00:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16148507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotKaiserin/pseuds/rotKaiserin
Summary: Shigure could not -- would not -- risk getting attached to the versions of his family he met in this world. Olivia tries to convince him otherwise.





	Same Difference

**Author's Note:**

> hiya! i actually wrote this last year when the performing arts banner initially came out, but it'd just been lying around in my drafts like 85% complete. i've been in a creative slump lately, so i decided to finish this up and polish it -- especially since the performing arts banner is out again lol
> 
> i don't remember if the timeline where PA!shigure is from was confirmed anywhere, but for the sake of this fic, he's from the heirs of fate timeline.
> 
> this will is crossposted on my [writing blog](https://missblanchette.tumblr.com/post/178620035813/same-difference-11). thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoy!! ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

As much as Shigure wanted to be with his family, this wasn't exactly how he imagined it. Then again, they weren't _really_ his family; they were merely versions of them from different worlds, as Mother -- no, the Azura who sang like the calming waves and wore the same pendant he did -- told him herself. Likewise, the man who danced with the grace of the indigo winds was not really his father, even if this Laslow ( _Inigo_ , Shigure corrected himself; he went by _Inigo_ here for some reason) moved just like him. Indeed, they were not the mother and father who'd given him life, but no matter how many times Shigure told himself that, the naive boy in him couldn't help but think about how this was the first time his family was together since the fight against Anankos. If only Soleil were here, and perhaps --

"Shigure." A soft voice called out to him, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Are you all right?"

\-- his grandmother, too.

Father had always told him great stories about Grandmother, about how she danced with passion despite her stage fright and fought with prowess despite her appearances. He'd hoped to see her dances for himself one day, but Shigure thought the circumstances would've been more conventional. Nonetheless, it'd be a lie if he said part of him wasn't happy to meet his grandmother ( _Olivia_ , Shigure reminded himself; just Olivia).

"Pardon me?" Shigure asked.

"You have such a serious expression on your face..." Olivia's frowned, her features contorting as if to mimic his expression. "I was just wondering if something was wrong."

Rare was it that expectations matched reality, but Shigure wasn't at all disappointed when he'd met Olivia. His father had always said she was powerful yet elegant, strong yet gentle, and he could see the truth in his words. On the battlefield, her dances inspired all and she knew how to handle a blade very well. While shy outside of battle, she acted just as earnestly and treated others with the utmost care. Meeting her, Shigure could see where his father's inspiration came from.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?" Quickly, she added, "If you don't mind sharing, of course."

He couldn't bring himself to answer immediately, knowing that talking about it would be dipping into tricky territory. Truthfully, his heart ached at the sight of other families reuniting with each other here in Askr. It'd gotten to the point where he considered telling the others of his lineage just for the sake of sharing in that love. Selfish as it may be, Shigure wanted to sing together with his family, to dance together with his family, to smile together with his family. But such thoughts were folly, especially when the time they shared was limited -- even more so when these people weren't _his_ mother, _his_ father, nor _his_ grandmother.

Yet, the two simple words escaped his lips: "...My family."

"How lovely." Olivia broke into a grin and, for a second, Shigure's breath hitched. The way she lit up reminded him of Soleil, right down to the sparkle in her eyes and the dimples in her cheeks. It was funny, he thought, how much Olivia looked like Soleil except with pink hair (or maybe it was more accurate to say Soleil looked like Olivia with blue hair). "What are they like?"

"We're nothing special." Contrary to what he said, his face softened. "But you could say the performing arts runs in our blood.” A beat. “...That is, except for my sister."

Cocking her head, Olivia let out an, "Oh?"

"She tries her best, really." Shigure couldn't count the number of times Soleil had stumbled and tripped over herself trying to copy their father's steps or how often their mother tried to reassure her it was just a matter of vocal practice. "But she has two left feet and can't carry a single tune to save her life."

"Oh dear," Olivia said, a hand held over her chest. "She must feel like the black sheep of the family."

Shigure hummed as he tapped a finger against his tome.

"You would think so, but I think she shines brighter than all of us."

Even now, Shigure could see Soleil's smile as clear as day. What she lacked in artistic talent, she made up for in sheer enthusiasm. No matter how many times she messed up, she never seemed to let that get to her. To be honest, he envied her a bit. She made it look so easy to get along with others, whereas he always put up constant walls -- even with her. He never understood how she remained so optimistic nor how she never gave up on a terrible older brother like him, but he was eternally grateful to the gods for a blessing like her.

"No matter what she does, no matter how hard things get, she always wears a smile on her face. Sunshine seems to follow her wherever she goes."

"Your sister sounds amazing…!” Fondness filled Olivia’s tone as she took on a wistful expression. “I wish I could be more like that..."

He wouldn't say it aloud, but the likeness between Olivia and Soleil was clear to Shigure. Though they held themselves differently, Olivia shined the same way Soleil did.

"Me too," he said instead. "But even if she can't dance, she takes after our father a lot."

The look on Olivia's face invited him to tell more.

"He's always looking on the bright side of things and never gives up." Father had always been the one to cheer him on; a pillar of strength, he was. Though often he felt like his father needn't dote on him or spoil him so much, Shigure couldn't have asked for a better father. With his father's encouragement, Shigure couldn't find it in himself to be pessimistic at all. Even as his father went on to fight Anankos, the smile and reassuring words he'd left him instilled some hope within him in a world that had been full of despair. "And his dances are just as awe inspiring, though... as brilliant a dancer he may be, he's very shy about it."

Hiding her mouth behind a hand, Olivia giggled.

"Your father sounds a lot like Inigo."

Despite himself, Shigure chuckled. This Inigo surely wasn't the same as his father, what with his lack of maturity and level headedness, but it was easy to imagine that this was how he was like in his youth. Flirtatious, dramatic, and bright-eyed; indeed, seeing him up close like this was practically better than having heard stories from Odin and Selena of his father’s younger years.

"I can see the resemblance," he said. "They're even huge flirts, too."

Olivia's laugh grew louder, and hearing it, Shigure understood where his father got his joy from.

"Your family sounds like quite the characters," Olivia said once she'd recovered.

"Quite so." Shigure smiled, though it didn’t completely reach his eyes. "I miss them dearly."

"Well, at least you're here with your mother, aren't you?"

Shigure faltered, his lips quirking done slightly. "No... not really."

"Oh? But I thought that Azura was..."

"She is." Try as he might to stay calm, his words came out with more bite than intended. Olivia flinched. "But she's not _my_ mother. Not the mother from my world."

"That's a rather sad way of thinking about it, isn't it?"

"It's only the truth."

Olivia fell silent, her gaze dropping to the floor. Though she did not end the conversation, the way she wrung her hands and bit her lips led to an awkward air. Mentally, Shigure berated himself for ruining their talk. For a moment, he could've almost believed he was having a pleasant chat with his grandmother but of course reality had to worm its way in. How he wanted to say something else, to change the topic and lift the mood, but he found himself at a loss for words.

Thankfully, he didn't have to.

"Inigo is my son, you know," Olivia said suddenly, slowly lifting her head up.

"Yes, I am aware...?" Shigure quirked an eyebrow up.

"But did you know that this is the third Inigo I've met?"

Shigure's brows furrowed together at that. Laughing, Olivia gave him a reassuring smile.

"It sounds weird, but it's true." Olivia looked out to the side, and Shigure followed her gaze only for his eyes to land on Inigo himself chatting with Azura. The sight of it tugged at his heart, so much so that he almost didn't hear Olivia speak again. "There's the Inigo who'd come back from the future, the Inigo I met _in_ the future, and now... there's the Inigo that I get to dance alongside with."

Glancing over at Olivia, there was pride in her eyes. She didn't say anything else before turning back to Shigure.

"Even if they're not from the same world, as you say, does that make them any different?"

Before he could respond, Olivia continued.

"Even if they may not be the Inigo from _my_ world, I still love them all as they love me. We treat each other just as we do normally because despite being from different worlds, our bonds remain the same." She paused, placing a hand on his arm. "So shouldn't you treat your mother the same way?"

Swallowing hard, he looked over once more towards Azura and Inigo. He couldn't deny the sense in what she'd said, but it was so much easier to keep his distance. Keeping his distance meant not getting attached, and not getting attached meant not deluding himself with impossible dreams.

At least, that was what Shigure told himself.

"The mother in my world gave up her life for my sake," he said. "And my father had died just before that." He took a deep breath, blinking back tears that threatened to fall. "It would hurt more to get close to them here only to leave again."

Gently, Olivia took his hand with both of hers. Her touch was warm and soothing against his skin.

"But you'll always have your memories, won't you?"

Amazing, how she managed to sound like his mother, father, and sister all at once. But then again, he figured he shouldn't have been surprised. She was his grandmother; young as she may be now, she was just as wise and compassionate as he'd always imagined. It was a strange comfort in this world that they'd all been thrown into, but a comfort he welcomed dearly. Placing his hand atop of hers, he nodded.

"You're right."

"That's good." Patting his hands, she smiled. "Then perhaps you should spend time with your mother."

"I will," Shigure said. He hesitated for a moment, taking in the sight of his grandmother -- the shy yet determined Olivia who he'd never gotten the chance to meet in his own world. He doubted he'd ever get this chance again, let alone be able to see her like this once more. "But is it okay if I talk to you a little longer?"

Olivia's eyes widened, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"O-Oh, of course! But... why?"

Shigure smiled, keeping the image of her own shy smile in his mind.

"No special reason. It’s just that being with you feels familiar."

After all, Shigure had always wanted to know his grandmother.  

**Author's Note:**

> thank you again for reading! feel free to let me know what you think in the comments, or on [tumblr](http://dollofdeath.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/nighthawkstars)! hope you guys have a great day/night~! ~ヾ(＾∇＾)


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